, 1887-07-09
AN AFRICAN QUEEN.
A Woman Ruler Living in Savage splsn-
dor on the Banks of the Zambesi.

A Woman Ruler Living in Savage Splsn-
dor on the Banks of tho Zambesi.
The position of women in Africa is as
degraded as in most other savage lands,
and life is a round of hard, u~nrequited
toll to the weaker sex in nearly all parts
of the continent. Here and there, how
ever, is native queen who has absolute
influence over her people and who sur
rounds herself with as much pomp and
circumstance as her position permits.
Mr.. Coillard, the French Protestant
missionary who saved the life of Serpa
Pinto during that travellers trip across
the continent, has sent home a few facts
about a picturesque female who holds
sway over the savage Barotse oil the
upper Zambesi.
One day recently Queen Mokuae went
on an excursion to the tombs of her
fathers. She was expected to return to
her chief town two or three days later,
and on the appointed day everybody was
alert to hear the first sound announcing
the approach of the royal party. Sud
denly the measured beat of drums was
family heard. ''She is coming. The
queen is coming" the cry went through
the town, and several thousand men,
women and children lined the bank of
the broad Zambesi and gazed down the
watery expanse. The sound of the
drums grew louder and soon the royal
barge and the attending fleet came into
view.
Under a pavilion made of gaudily
colored native mats sat the queen in full
view of her subjects. Forty paddlers
swiftly propelled her great canoe up the
stream. AS she came opposite the town
the women and girls, who were ranged
in line on shore, began to intone a. chant,
which struck Mr.. Coillard as full of
weird beauty. 1t recited the praises of
Queen Mokuae. At last the prov of the
queens barge struck the shore, and the
crowds of men who lined the way from
the rivers edge to the queens mansion,
instantly dropped on their knees and be-
gan to clap their hands, keeping time to
the beat of the drums.
The queen stepped out of her barge.
She was in gala dress for the occasion.
Over her shoulders she wore a brightly
colored Indian robe. Several strings Of
beads and ornaments of ivory encircled
her neck, and large white pearls were
arranged with care in her hair. She
saluted the white man with a wave of
her hand, but appeared to pay no atten-
ton to her subjects. A procession was
instantly formed with the native band at
its head. The musicians wore suspended
from their necks the instruments known
as serimbas, which are long gourds, on
which are strung cords of different
lengths which give a variety of sounds
when struck with drumsticks. AS the
procession started the musicians struck
up, and did not cease playing until the
queen withdrew into her apartments.
Behind the band walked the queen, and
at considerable distance behind her the
royal suite and the oarsmen of her fleet.
AS they passed along the populace fell
into line, and 50 the long procession
marched until they reached the queens
abode.
Then the master of ceremonies spread
on the ground n lions skin, on which
the queen took her stand. The royal
suite approached within about q hundred
feet, ranged themselves in line before
the queen, lifted their hands toward the
sky, crying "Lochel Lochel' and ther
Frustrated themselves in the dust. Next,
the boatlnen went through the SAME
ceremony, and then the ~populace, in de,
tachments, paid their respects to theil
ruler in the same manner; after then
the visitors in the village, and finally Mr.
Coillard's own boatmen. Then the queer
disappeared within her house, and soor
after, surrounded by her young women
gave an audience to the white man.
She had a wheezy accordion, owe
whose keys she ran her fingers with sur
prising agility, and she played a curious
medley of savage airs. She was very
proud of her musical accomplishments
which, however, did not greatly impress
her visitor, Mr.. Coillard has been per
mitted to establish a mission in this town
where, he says, many picturesque scene
only serve to conceal all the horrors o
paganism and the grossest and most re
voting superstitions New York Sun.